Osteospermum plant named ‘SAKOST8366’

ABSTRACT

A new  Osteospermum  plant particularly distinguished by having white and pink flowers with light gray disc florets as well as a fairly compact and very well-branching plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Osteospermum hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKOST8366’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofOsteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum hybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘SAKOST8366’. ‘SAKOST8366’ originatedfrom a hybridization of commercial Osteospermum line ‘SAKOST8202’ alsoknown as CAPE DAISY™ ‘Soft Pink’ (U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/134,031) and commercial Osteospermum line ‘SAKOST8201’ also known asCAPE DAISY™ ‘Purple Illumination’ (U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/068,016) in Marslev, Denmark. The female parent, ‘SAKOST8202’ haslight pink colored flowers (young flowers have a pinkish-white flowercolor) with light gray disc florets. The male parent, ‘SAKOST8201’ haswhite with purple flowers and violet-blue disc florets.

In May 2008 the two Osteospermum parental lines ‘SAKOST8202’ and‘SAKOST8201’ were crossed and seeds were obtained. The seeds were sownand plants were grown in pots for evaluation. In February 2009, a plantline was selected which had white and pink flowers with light gray discflorets as well as a fairly compact and very well-branching plant growthhabit.

In February 2009, the line was vegetatively propagated by cuttings andre-evaluated in an open field and a greenhouse. The selected line wasgiven the breeder code number ‘209144’ and the stability of the distinctcharacteristics of this variety were confirmed.

In June 2009, plants of line ‘209144’ were evaluated again in pots andin an open field. The variety was found to reproduce true to type insuccessive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttingsand given the name ‘SAKOST8366’.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. White and pink flowers with light gray disc florets; and    -   2. Fairly compact and very well-branching plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a twelve month old plantfrom transplant grown in 8-inch pots from rooted cuttings in Salinas,Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the fall of 2012. The colors shownare as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKOST8366’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. Data was collected on twelve-month-old plants fromtransplant grown in 8-inch pots from rooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif.under greenhouse conditions in the fall of 2012. Color references are toThe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London(R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels are from The CambridgeIllustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King,Cambridge University Press.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Compositae.        -   Botanical.—Osteospermum hybrida.        -   Common.—Osteospermum, Cape Daisy, South African Daisy.        -   Designation.—‘SAKOST8366’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Osteospermum line ‘SAKOST8202’ (U.S. patent            application Ser. No. 13/134,031).        -   Male parent.—Osteospermum line ‘SAKOST8201’ (U.S. patent            application Ser. No. 13/068,016).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Cuttings will colonize a            2.5 cm diameter by 2.5 cm tall greenhouse tray cell with            peat-based plant media in approximately four weeks. Cuttings            are dipped in a normal dilution (1:9) of Dip 'N Grow root            inducing solution in water. The trays are misted hourly            during rooting.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—Rooted cuttings            are transplanted to pots with a 16 cm diameter, one plant            per pot. Peat-based growing media is used. The pots are            watered using a 150 ppm to 200 ppm fertilizer solution using            18-8-18 fertilizer. The soil is allowed to dry between            watering. During the first few weeks after transplanting,            the plants should have evening temperatures around 15° C. to            18° C. for good root growth. When plants reach 7.5 cm to 10            cm in height they are pinched back to 5 to 6 leaves to            promote branching. Spring and summer daytime high            temperatures in Salinas, Calif. where the data was            collected, range from 16° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—Approximately four weeks            when rooted vegetative cuttings are transferred to a 5-inch            diameter pot. Flowering season is in the spring, summer and            fall in the United States. Vernalization is not required to            induce flowering.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Fairly compact and very well-branching.        -   Life cycle.—Perennial.        -   Form.—Semi-erect.        -   Height (from soil line to first node).—2.0 cm.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—40.0 cm.        -   Width.—55.0 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   General.—Multiple; circular in cross-section, smooth.        -   Stem length (total).—18.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144B (Yellow-Green) with slight anthocyanin.        -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple).        -   Pubescence.—Light. Color: RHS N155A (White). Shape: Short,            hair-like fibers.-   Branches:    -   -   General.—Circular in cross-section, smooth.        -   Number of main branches.—One.        -   Total number of branches.—Twelve.        -   Length.—28.0 cm, approximately 2.0 cm from soil line to            first node, 3.0 cm between first and second nodes.        -   Diameter.—1.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—2.0 cm.        -   Color.—Closest to RHS 144B (Yellow-Green) with slight            anthocyanin.        -   Pubescence.—Absent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Surface (both surfaces).—Dull.        -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Slight.        -   Surface pubescence color (both surfaces).—RHS N155A (White).        -   Attachment.—Decurrant.        -   Length.—7.0 cm.        -   Width.—2.5 cm.        -   Thickness.—Less than 0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 147A (Yellow-Green). Lower            surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green).        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 147C (Yellow-Green).            Lower surface: RHS 147C (Yellow-Green).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number per plant.—40 to 50 in bloom.        -   Type.—Capitulum (head); disc florets are perfect and ray            florets are carpellate.        -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence on plant.—3 to 4 days.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Seed production.—None observed.        -   Diameter.—5.0 cm.        -   Depth.—2.0 cm.        -   Petal (ray floret) number.—19 per inflorescence.        -   Disc diameter.—1.5 cm.        -   Disc floret number.—100 to 120 per inflorescence.        -   Peduncle length.—5.5 cm from inflorescence to first node.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green) with slight            anthocyanin.        -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple).        -   Peduncle texture.—Dull; slight pubescence.        -   Phyllaries.—Arrangement: 24 per inflorescence; free;            arranged symmetrically. Length: 1.0 cm. Width: 0.2 cm. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Shape: Linear; acute. Color: Upper            surface: RHS 143A (Green). Lower surface: RHS 143B (Green).-   Ray florets (ligules):    -   -   Corolla.—One petal per ray floret; only the outer row of            florets are the ray florets.        -   Number of ray florets.—21 per inflorescence.        -   Length.—3.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Closest to RHS 65B (Red-Purple). Lower            surface: RHS 6D (Yellow).        -   Pubescence.—Glabrous.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Color.—RHS 188A (Greyed-Green).        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Apex.—Pointed.        -   Texture.—Dull, pubescent.        -   Size.—Length: 0.9 cm. Width: 0.1 cm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Ovary.—Superior.        -   Pistil form.—One style with two stigma branches.        -   Pistil length.—0.6 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS N186A (Greyed-Purple).        -   Style color.—RHS 6D (Yellow). Stamens: 5; fused into a            single tube. Anther color: RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple). Pollen            color: RHS 17A (Yellow-Orange). Filament color: RHS 155A            (White).-   Disease and insect resistance: No known resistance or    susceptibility.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKOST8366’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum is a distinct varietyof Osteospermum having white and pink flowers with light gray discflorets as well as a fairly compact and very well-branching plant growthhabit; ‘SAKOST8366’ is distinguished from its parents as described inTable 1 (color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 4^(th) edition):

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male ParentCharacteristic ‘SAKOST8366’ ‘SAKOST8202’ ‘SAKOST8201’ Ray floret Closestto RHS 62C (Red- RHS 155D (White) (ligule) color, RHS 65B Purple) withyoung with RHS 72B upper surface: (Red-Purple) flowers of RHS(Red-Purple) stripes 155B (White) and at base Disc floret RHS 188A RHSN187A RHS 94B (Violet- color: (Greyed-Green) (Greyed-Purple) Blue)

‘SAKOST8366’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum having white and pinkflowers with light gray disc florets as well as a fairly compact andvery well-branching plant growth habit. ‘SAKOST8366’ is most similar tothe Osteospermum plant named ‘SAKOST8202’ (U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/134,031). Differences between the two varieties are described inTable 2 (color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 4^(th) edition):

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKOST8366’‘SAKOST8202’ Ray floret (ligule) Closest to RHS 65B RHS 62C (Red-Purple)with color, upper surface: (Red-Purple) young flowers of RHS 155B(White) Ray floret (ligule) Closest to RHS 6D RHS 151B (Yellow-Green)color, lower surface: (Yellow) Disc floret color: RHS 188A RHS N187A(Greyed-Green) (Greyed-Purple) Plant growth habit: Fairly compactSemi-erect

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Osteospermum plant as shownand described herein.